Arch-supporting shoe.



T. COFFEY'. ARCH SUPPORTING sHoE.

APPLICATION FILED NOVI 20. 1911.

Patented July 9, 1918.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY A, THOMAS COFFEY, OF WEST TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

ARCH-SUPPORTING SHOE.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filed November 20, 1917. Serial N o. 202,990.

To all whom t may concer/n..-

Be it known that I, THOMAS Correr, al citizen of the United States, residing at West Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch- Supportin Shoes, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to an arch supporting shoe, and particularly to a shoev of the character described in which arch supporting structure is Vintroduced in the manufacture vof the shoe and is so constructed that the individual requirements of each particular' wearer may be suited.l

VAn object ofthe invention is to provide an arch supporting shoe having arch supporting structure embodied therein in such a way that a number of different adjustments can be made to thus obtain the properv support for the foot and arch structure of each individual wearer, and also to make the supporting structure of such characterthat it,v will notwear and chafe upon the foot or bruise the same as is sometimes the case where metal and other more or less rigid plates are employed.

Another object is to so construct the parts that the arch of the foot isv held by pneumatic and inatable means, which means will give an air cushion for the bearing of the foot and at the same time allows of a number of different adjustments.

las well as under the instep.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be in part described and in part understood from the specification, drawings, and claims, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings f Figure 1 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the lower portion of a shoe having my invention embodied therein; and,

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the inner sole structure with the upper entirely disregarded for better illustration.

The shoe upper 1 may be of usual and any standard construction as may also the outer sole 2 and the heel 3, and in fact the outside, except for slight additions which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

A middle sole 4, which is preferably of leather or other material possessing some body or stiii'ening is shaped to be received within the shoe upon the outer sole structure 2, and the yplates 5 and 6 which are hingedly connected together are cemented or otherwise secured onthe sole portion, 4 at the instep and are so disposed that the hinge pintle extends transversely across beneath the instep. An inner sole 7, which is also ofk a material havin inherent stiffness but yet sufficiently flexib e to give and conform somewhat to the motion of the foot within the shoe, is mounted above the middle sole 4 and is held spaced therefrom by springs 8,' 9, and 10, which are placed between the middle and inner soles at such points that they u' ill be disposed beneath the heel of the foot, beneath the ball,- and at the outer side of the arch, substantially as is indicated in Fig. 2.

It is of course to be understood that the inner sole will be permitted movement with respect to the middle sole, and therefore the springs 8, 9, and 10, will mount the inner sole 7 in such a way that it will act as a cushion insole, however, as is stated above it is one of the purposes of this invention to provide for adjustment to various heights of foot arches, and therefore Ircut the inner sole material away entirely as indicated at 11, or reduce this inner sole 7 beneath the arch to such an extent that it is very flexible. As has been stated, in the present instance I have shown the inner sole as being cut out beneath the arch as shown at 11, and to give an unbroken surface to the upper side of the inner sole, a lining strip 12 is placed and secured thereover to cover over the opening 11 of the inner sole, it of course being understood that this will give flexibility at this point. An inflatable bladder or bag 13 is mounted on the inner sole 4 over the plates 5 and 6, and is so disposed that it has the upper side thereof received in the opening 11 or in the reduced and iiexible portion of the inner Ysole 7, and this bladder which may be of gum rubber, rubberized fabric, or other suitable material., has a stem 14: extending therefrom vthrough the middle-sole 4 and then through the outer sole 2 `close back'ad1 approved Ways7 and as air is forced'in` throughftliei'stem 14;into "the bladder 13;'1the same will be inflated toraise Athe inner .sole

at the instep, it being understood that as f greater or lesser .inflation-.is Vgiven .to .the

:bladder 13 the instep portion of the inner sole Will be lraised to a greateror lesser 1ighti* f v "..The inflatable bladderI 13 -isintended to raise .the innen sole. so that .properfsupport will fleegiven to thefoot. inlthe m'etatarsal arch, and -itisy perhaps. preferable that the inflatable-bladder structure and :the covering thereforfrbe extended .somewhat as is shown? iin A' Eig: .2 so that'. a lportion.- of the.` .inlatable structure-Will lie adjacentthe upper 'of thefshoe. in.:the'instepportionthereof, th-usi' giving-support .tothe metata-rsal. earch en the plantar-- surface. cand .the sides. V'Hinder some circumstances it: may .be desired tojgive ai greaterv rise in :theinstep yarch than ycanbe.*obtainedj-.by .inflation of4 thebladder 13gor to` make the -archfsupport` more rigid With-only. a slight. pneumatic cushion i there- Vover; and it -is rnuith-this-y purpose' in View: that -thef-hinged platesv 5 .and 6Lv are provided.

lFlexiblefcable kportions `15 and f16- arecon- `nectedwith the: hinged'plates 5 and G at the youter i edgeslv thereof 'mand are :extended '-through the openings 1"(Iv andi18 int-heouter sole 2, so that as drawing tension is exerted upon. the' outer ends yof these .cable .portions .thefplates-Will be iiolded up atzlthe. hinged fedgesfthereof, and that this folding -ot vthe vplates-:maywbe accomplished', tl1ef=cablesV 15 and 16 -ha'vethe right and ylefthandithreaded rods 19 andl20 lcarried-on v'the vfree ends thereof; aiturn buckle portion 21-being .mountedfon .these `foppositely threaded :ends Ato'fb'e turnedto-drawrin thecables. =That the turn buckle vportion 21v may be readily turned-'openings 22a-re provided inthe sides thereof for Vthe'reception of afnail :or.other `instrument Which :might vl.be inserted a and usedas awpry leven-in turning .the turn buckle 21; Th-isfstructurefis all mounted .-so- :that: the outer ends. 'of the.- cables. 15 and v1.6, ythe :screw-threaded .rods 19 -andf 20; `and thef-turn:` buckle-pertion. Qliwill :be close up against-the outer sole. 2-.at-the;instep and thus the .parts will be protected.

- 'f Fromthe-oregoing.it'will be seen that I have providedY a vstructure .Which-gives a cushion. inner sole 'for contact With the vplantar-'suri'ace Iof theffoot together With a pneumatic-:pad support for the'metai'arsal arch-7 and thatfby varying the quantity of air lled into the inflatable bladder 13 "be varied.

. Vhilel liavefherein described and specified one particular embodiment of the present ii'i-vention and have shown only certain parts and certain manners of associating the same, rvv-itis to beunderstood that in practicejlfdo .'...not `limit..1nyseli'dto.. such specific details but may resort to kany practical modifications falling Within the-.scope ofthe invention.I as defined-in the appended claims.

I.claim:- f- :.1. An rarch H supporting A.s hoe,.including `with .an l.in-*ner .sole structureagainst which .the-foot. bears, vinflatable means to giveelevation .and to varythe elevation oftheinner sole structure at the insteparch,.andmeans `to bodily raise and'V support thel ,inflatable msg/ns :.YE f- .1 3,

1Q. -An yarch supporting-Shoesincluding-a .middle f sole.H havingzalr r.inner :sole-r mounted l#thereon andin partloosely associated'therewith, an. .inflatable` bladder n mounted upon the middl'eisole-a-nd disposed beneathftherinnersole at .the instep` arch,V azvalvegstem-aex- .tending to .the .exterior ofrthefshoe through which; air is supplied tto vthe sinlatable'blad- .der, aipair-.of plates hingedlygconnected. to-

\ gether .and mounted. on. the. middle;- soler'beneath .the intlatablefbladder;@cables connectedwith the; free;edges-of.said-.platesandfeX- tended through 4-the `outernselegofithe; shoe structure, l. yoppositely:` fscreWet-hreaded rods carried bythe ends of.'.sa-idcables;V and aturn .buckle turned on to `4 said---screW-threaded rods. n f

L' 3'.v An arclrsupporting shoefincluding a Vmiddle-f sole .aha-'ving'. fan-...inner :sole mounted :thereon a :andV in.. .part loosely; associated; .fan "inflatable, bladderi mounted upon the .middle sole and;disp.osed.:beneath the innensolefat the instepvarclrf, aavalve-astemtextending to -theff'exterior of thelshoethrough Whichf air .is supplied.: :toi .the inflatableV bladder, a 'pair of. :plates hingedly connectedftogether.-V and mounted. onr. the middle' sole.- beneath thef-finlatable bladder,.:cablesfconnectedwith the .free edgeswo-:E vesaid; @plates-.fand extended throught. the 1 outer sole oit-,the shoestructure, 

